Per Mertesacker is entrusted with the job of collecting fines from Arsenal players in breach of club discipline but the German may find himself going cap in hand to manager Arsene Wenger for his place in the team.

The League Managers’ Association today branded the number of sackings in English football this season as “embarrassing” after Stevenage boss Gary Smith became the 103rd casualty of the campaign.

Last night’s 2-0 defeat to League One strugglers Bury proved the last straw for the Stevenage board after nine losses in 11 games left the club 15th in the table. That run, though, did include wins over promotion hopefuls Brentford and Sheffield United.

The number of departures from clubs, which includes managers and coaches, has angered LMA chief executive Richard Bevan, who said: “The volatility is undermining the profession.”